A case of tick-borne Powassan virus in a child

With tick-borne viruses resembling Powassan virus rising in Canada, clinicians ought to take into account these infections in sufferers with encephalitis, as a case examine exhibits within the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Although uncommon, Powassan virus is severe, with a dying fee of 10–15% in individuals with encephalitis, and it might probably trigger lingering well being results after an infection. The virus can transmit inside quarter-hour of tick attachment, and signs can develop one to 5 weeks later.

In this case examine, a 9-year-old youngster with up-to-date vaccinations was admitted to hospital after a go to to an emergency division for fever, neck stiffness, and headache that developed one week after a tenting journey in northern Ontario.

Physicians performed intensive testing for a spread of diseases together with Epstein–Barr virus, Lyme illness, bacterial meningitis, and extra. They additionally despatched serology samples for testing on the Public Health Ontario laboratory, however the outcomes weren’t obtainable for a number of weeks. The eventual analysis, confirmed after the kid was discharged, was Powassan virus.

Cases of encephalitis from Powassan virus and different tick-borne diseases have been rising within the final 20 years, and the authors emphasize that the consideration of those is essential. Recent journey to an endemic area, out of doors exercise resembling climbing and tenting, and doable publicity to animals or ticks are essential in serving to diagnose.

“Given the nonspecific scientific options, laboratory investigations, neuroimaging findings of encephalitis, in addition to the consequences of local weather change on tick-borne an infection charges, broad arbovirus serology testing ought to be thought-about for sufferers presenting with encephalitis, significantly in the summertime and fall,” writes Dr. Zachary Blatman, a senior pediatric resident doctor at CHEO, Ottawa, Ontario, with co-authors.